Artist sells inmate art to aid San Quentin projects

ALL LESLIE LAKES wanted to do was buy some art from an online auction.

She did, but she received a lot more than beautiful drawings to hang in her Montclair, N.J., home about eight years ago. Lakes ended up forging deep friendships with the artists — incarcerated men and women from around the country.

"When the art arrived I was flabbergasted at the talent," says Lakes, an artist herself. "So I asked the organization if they would be able to provide the names and the addresses of these inmates so I could write to them to tell them how much I really appreciate their artwork, and they did."

She began corresponding with a handful of inmate-artists and over the years has amassed hundreds of their artwork. Lakes, 61, who now lives in Mill Valley with her husband, has long wanted to do something with her collection, which has been seen by few people. This month she is displaying 23 pieces of wildlife and animal art in the lobby of the Marin Humane Society in Novato. She is donating 40 percent of sales to two programs at San Quentin, Pen Pals of San Quentin and the Last Mile program.

"I have bins, bins, hundreds of letters that I've received from them. They send me their original artwork," says Lakes, an adoption volunteer at the MHS. "The content of the letters have always been respectful, gracious, kind, intelligent, somewhat educated. And then there was a disconnect: What's going on with these people who have such gifts and talents and skills and intelligence that they ended up in prison?"

The prisoners have shared their life stories with her, as well as their art. Lakes makes copies their artwork and turns them into cards that she sends back to them so they can correspond with loved ones.

"We share ideas, and we share artwork. I'll send them copies of what I've been doing. I love their work; it's very different than mine, their work is very detailed and tight, and they love mine because its very fluid and free," says Lakes, who has learned techniques from many of the inmates. "Their outlook is so different than mine."

As a volunteer with the Last Mile program, which works with certain inmates to be employable in paid technology internships in Silicon Valley, she goes twice a week to San Quentin mentor the inmates. Later this year, she plans to visit some of the artist-inmates at Pelican Bay with whom she's been writing.

"When you correspond with someone for eight years, and a lot of intimate things are revealed about their past, they become your friend. It's a relationship, it's a friendship and I care," says Lakes, who is also a massage therapist. "I've watched the artists' progression. They get better, better and better."

Lakes hopes to raise needed funds for the two San Quentin programs, but she also has another goal for anyone who sees the show.

"I want them to see the beauty and the talent that is created. I want them to have a different perspective of people who are in prison because I'll tell you the truth, it could be you or me in prison," she says. "The artwork, I think, is going to surprise people."